World Trade Center Mosque and Community Center Design Unveiled

Earlier this week, Park51 and SOMA Architects released their first renderings of what will be Park 51, the controversial Muslim community center and prayer space in lower Manhattan. The drawings reveal a dramatic 13-story building with a facade of interconnected webbing and a bright white, day-lit interior. Park51 will be a $100 million mixed-use cultural and community center and is slated for LEED certification.

The existing structure, which is currently in use by the New York Muslim community as a prayer center, will be knocked down to make way for the new center. Imam Feisal Abdul-Rauf and Sharif El-Gamal are leading the existing prayer center, as well as the new development for the state of the art eco-friendly facility.

Although no details about the facility’s sustainable strategies have been released, it’s clear that daylighting will play a major role in the building’s lighting. The new community and prayer center will also include recreation spaces and fitness facilities, a 500-seat auditorium, a restaurant and culinary school, exhibition space, educational space, a library, reading room, art studios, childcare services, a prayer space and a September 11th memorial. Fundraising for the new center is ongoing.

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4 Comments

[…] Thankfully, instead of going on with the original plans, they decided to make the space into a culture and community center, which will be called the Plaza de la […]

InomaeOctober 5, 2010 at 6:22 pm

Take a close look at the design and several things jump out…
1) the outside design reminds one of the cross section of a seashell
2) a closer look at the thicker concrete elements of the outside front design shows a wave of ocean water flowing in a breaking surf pattern from left to right
3) the inside and outside renderings remind one of the glass bottom boats with see-through floors and windows allowing people to ‘live’ in an underwater environment.
4) “Starfish” are said to be sprinkled throughout the design and what better ocean statement would be presented than a animal iconic to the beach?

HOLY SHIT GUYS, THE OCTOPI ARE BEHIND IT ALL.

KenstonOctober 3, 2010 at 8:27 am

Take a close look at the design and several things jump out…
1) the outside design reminds one of the skeletal remains of a building
2) a closer look at the thicker concrete elements of the outside front design shows a wisp of winding smoke rising in a curling pattern from bottom to top
3) the inside and outside renderings remind one of the chaos of an explosion with see-through floors and windows ‘freezing’ the chaos into a habitable environment.
4) “Stars of David” are said to be sprinkled throughout the design and what better Mosque statement would be presented than an explosion affecting the nation of Israel?

RickyOctober 2, 2010 at 4:14 am

let us build a infidel place in mecca and oh.. it will be a community center